It's summer which means thermometers around the country are hitting the ninety degree marks. (and higher.) So I thought for today I'd talk about ways to help your chickens beat the summer heat.
Two years ago we last nearly half our flock within three days to heat stroke. We developed a cooling regimen and after implementing it didn't lose a single hen. It's pretty much the same thing other people are advising, but the more people talk about it the easier it is for people to find this life saving advice. So here's what Mom and I do when the temperature rises into the 90s and above.
The first part of the process is: ice. Lots of ice.
-Put ice cubes in their water.
-Hang plastic grocery bags filled with ice in your chicken house. Especially around the nest boxes.
-Save your empty milk cartons. Fill about half way with water, leave in freezer until completely frozen, and place in chicken house.
-Put those ice pack you get with some coolers in your chicken house.
Water
-Make sure they have lots of water. Some people advise putting electrolytes in their water, too.
-Spray your chicken house and the area around it with water.
-If one of them looks very distressed, wet its feet. Doing that actually saved one of the girls.
Cooling stations
-Put boards, we used 1/2 plywood, at an angle against your chicken house so your chickens can get in the shade and still catch a breeze.
-Spray the plywood and the dirt under it with water.
-Scatter ice under the boards.
Treats
-Give them frozen bread
-Freeze kitchen scraps the night before.
Check them often. Especially in the hottest part of the day.
Thank you for reading Bats Bizarre's official blog. Have a bat-tastic day!
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